The wooden poles seen in this photo are used to support branches of these two cherry trees.
These two cherry trees are located next to an artificial lake created by the Miboro Dam.
In 1960 these trees were rescued from the temples where the trees were located when those temples and their villages were submerged by the construction of the Miboro Dam. (See a later photo of the Mirboro Dam.) These trees are over 40 tons so it was difficult to transplant them. When they were first transplanted there was concern that they might not take root. Over many years the branches have grown and finally cherry blossoms appeared. Some Japanese believe that each petal on the trees represents a memory from someone who lived in the villages where the trees were located before those villages were submerged.
All trees are spiritually significant in Japanese culture and religion especially cherry trees. The cherry blossom is an important symbol in Japan of the transience of all things, especially life - the beauty of life and its eventual end. The transient nature of life historically has been part of the Buddhist cultural tradition in Japan. The life cycle of the cherry blossom is an example and metaphor of this view with its short-lived beautiful blossom. Cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds because a given tree will produce blooms all at once as a canopy. Many Japanese track when the cherry blossoms will appear by closely following weather forecasts - so they can plan viewing get-togethers, parties and the like or visits to shrines and temples. Tributes to the cherry blossom commonly are seen in Japanese art, music and many consumer items, such as clothing and kitchenware.
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